


More of a Comment Than a Question

by pythia



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Professors, Dyad in the force, F/M, Magical Realism, Modern AU, academic conferences, force bond fuckery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 14:40:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23074471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pythia/pseuds/pythia
Summary: Rey Sands had made it - she was tenure-track professor. She was presenting at a major conference, in the process of publishing her first book, and felt like she could finally take a breath. Then someone had the nerve to make a comment rather than ask her a question about her research.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 45
Kudos: 45





	1. Campus - Vampire Weekend

**Author's Note:**

> I started this at an academic conference in the dead of winter in 2019. I lovingly dedicate this to all the Reylos who are in the humanities. I’ll update this on Mondays.

In the exhibition hall, Rey spotted the most attractive man that she’d ever seen at a conference. To be fair, she never really looked for anyone at a history conference. Conferences, while quite interesting and fun, were work. As a graduate student, Rey jumped from panel to panel, making contacts, feverishly taking notes, and regretting her outfit choices. Over the years, she’d occasionally heard stories from other historians about slightly tipsy hookups that were often more regrettable than sexy.

Now, Rey was a tenure-track professor. She’d landed a job, was in the process of publishing her first book, and felt like she could finally take a breath.

Rose had dragged her over to the Naboo University Press booth to take a photo of Finn’s first book on display. Rey had been searching for her phone in her bag when she’d first spotted him. He was honestly the most attractive man at the conference and likely academia as a whole.

Instead of posing for selfies holding Finn’s book with Rose, Rey stood there and gaped at the stranger. He was massively tall, with hair that was glossy and dark. Arms folded, his expression contorted into one of complete disgust that he directed at the timid-looking man running the adjacent Alderaan University Press booth. 

Someone poked her in the side, and Rey jumped,realizing that she’d been blatantly ogling a colleague in public. She was one online post away from a severe blemish on her brand-new credentials as an academic. That was just fucking great. Honestly.

“I’m sorry Rose, were you poking me? I’m so sorry.” Rey tore her eyes away from Dr. Title IX Violation and attempted to focus her attention on Rose.

She gave Rey a sweet smile, “I see that you’re still obsessing over your presentation later today. You’re going to be fine. No one knows more about the Palpatine era Jedi hunts than you.”

“Sheevian era. Well, except for Dr. Skywalker,” Rey sighed and fought the urge to pull the elastic out of her hair and redo the low ponytail that she’d put it in earlier that day. “I wish Luke was here. He wasn’t the best advisor…”

“But he was your advisor, and I know sweetie.” Rose reached out and squeezed her hand. The sudden death of Rey’s advisor was incredibly shocking - she’d just been hired on by the history department at the University of Coruscant. She’d been out at a cantina celebrating with her graduate cohort when they’d received the email that Dr. Skywalker had died of a brain aneurysm. His death had been quick and painless. A neighbor found him out on his balcony, sitting on a chair and watching the sun set into the ocean.

Rey often found him sitting out there after he’d stopped answering emails or phone calls. Frustrated with his lack of response, she’d drive out to the island where he lived and bang on his door until he responded. At first, she was terrified to do so, until the chair of her graduate department, Dr. Lanai, told her it was the fastest way to get any sort manner of response out of Dr. Skywalker.

They put back Finn’s book and thanked the person working the Naboo University Press booth before heading out of the hotel for a bit of fresh air and winter sunshine before Rey’s panel. Thoughts of the handsome stranger and Dr. Skywalker’s death evaporated the moment Rey was blinded by the bright sunlight reflecting on the fresh snow that fell on Hoth overnight.

* * *

  
So far, Rey’s panel seemed to be going well. She’d presented her opening comments, smoothly answered questions from the other panelists and the panel chair. All seemed to be going well until she took the time to look out into the audience to look for Rose who promised to slip out of the panel she was chairing (“Women and Gender in Imperial Labor Camps”) the instant the final question was answered. Rey didn’t find Rose’s friendly face, but the man she’d ogled earlier in the Exhibition Hall.

Fuck.

She tore her eyes away from him and concentrated on Dr. Tano’s invitation for people from the audience to now ask the panel any questions they might have about their discussion. That was a welcome distraction - Rey did not want to believe that this stranger might be in her area of study.

Dr. Tano called for the final question, and to Rey’s horror, she pointed to him, of all people.

“Hello. Dr. Ben Solo from Alderaan University. I have more of a comment than a question.” A few audience members let out soft groans. Dr. Tano had explicitly asked for audience members to ask questions rather than make comments about the panelists.

Without thinking, Rey leaned forward to speak into her mic, smoothly interrupting the quiet whispers that had begun. “It’s alright guys. We're discussing history, not playing Jeopardy. We’ll answer Dr. Solo’s question, even though it’s in the form of a comment.” It was meant to be light and funny, to break the tense silence that came after the first couple of groans.

Dr. Solo raised a single dark eyebrow and clenched his jaw before continuing, “I’ve found that the study of the Sheevian era Jedi hunts are largely a plowed field. What relevance does this particular outburst of religiously motivated political violence have in contemporary historical studies?”

The room was so silent that Rey could swear that she heard the Force swirling about everyone who’d fallen into a shocked silence. There were stories about rude or snide audience members at other history conferences, but Rey had never personally witnessed anyone being anything other than professional to their peers. She supposed that it was about time for her to observe the small-minded and dreadful side of academia.

She leaned forward and spoke clearly into her microphone, “Well Dr. Solo, I find that any period in which there is a genocide of individuals for their religious beliefs to always be relevant. The Jedi were a complex organization, with often contradictory beliefs. Their actions - particularly the laws requiring the removal of Force-sensitive children from their families - are horrific by our contemporary standards.” Rey took a breath, steadying herself and attempting to control the embarrassed anger that threatened to take over. She’d spent almost a decade studying the Jedi, the Force and the reign of Palpatine. Rey didn’t need the approval of Dr. Ben Solo or Dr. Skywalker to know that Rey was a good teacher or researcher. That was a truth she felt deep inside of herself.

“Yet, I think that our current celebration of Force-Sensitive individuals comes from the study of these violent and terrible centuries. I want to think that continued discussion of the crimes of Emperor Palpatine will keep the pendulum of public opinion from swinging away from our acceptance of those who might be different from ourselves.” A trickle of sweat rolled down from the base of her neck to a spot in between her shoulder blades. Rey no longer felt angry or embarrassed. She felt calm and in control, feeling the waves of anger rolling off of Dr. Solo. He’d gotten into academia to prove a point, to feel powerful and influential. It was hard not to glare back at Dr. Solo or throw him a dirty look.

Someone in the back of the audience, on the side opposite from Dr. Solo, began to applaud. The sort of slow clap that students often did to mock each other - only it suddenly grew into thunderous applause that made Dr. Solo’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Dr. Tano cleared her throat, apparently unsure of how to proceed after such an outburst. “Thank you for coming everyone. We hope to see you later at the reception.” The older woman leaned over her podium and shot Rey a sly smile before shutting off her microphone. “Good response Rey. That was Dr. Skywalker’s nephew, Ben Solo. He’s always trying to get under people’s skin.”

Rey’s face went cold and then hot. The handsome stranger from the exhibition hall was Dr. Skywalker’s nephew. He’d just tried to embarrass her in front of an audience for no apparent reason. Instead, she’d turned the tables and upset him instead. Fuck. No good was going to come out of this business. She’d just made an enemy in her field, less than six months after earning her degree.

She needed a drink.

* * *

  
There was an evening reception Rey needed to attend in about an hour. Rose was in their bathroom getting ready while listening to a podcast that sounded bright and chatty. Her friend hasn’t been able to make it to Rey’s panel, as her own had been well-attended with excellent audience participation during the Q&A. 

Rey had managed to tell Rose that her session had gone very well and had managed to avoid talking about her Q&A session. She’d claimed the first shower and reviewed what happened with Dr. Solo. The pile of shutta who was Luke’s nephew and believed that studying the Jedi hunts was a massive waste of her time. 

She’d started to fall asleep spread out on their bed like one of the tentacle monsters that decorated illuminated texts made by Sith acolytes. There was a strange buzzing in the landscape of her almost dreams; it was something like the white noise of a buzzing electric razor. Perhaps Rose was shaving.

The buzzing paused.

“Is there someone there?” It was deep voice, curious rather than angry. Rey could almost place where she’d heard the voice before. She was slipping deeper into her dreams that were dark with shadows, yet felt warm and comforting. 

“I’m sleeping. Fuck off,” Rey mumbled or thought in her dream. It was all so hazy and strange.

The voice didn’t answer. Instead, someone shook Rey vigorously, “Rey! It’s time for the reception, and I’ve got some questions for you.”

Rey lurched out of her dream, blinking rapidly and wincing at how abruptly she’d been woken up. It was as if she’d been asleep for hours. Rose looked down at Rey, chewing her lip and squinting as if she was a primary source that was particularly difficult to verify.

“I was checking out the conference chatter, and someone mentioned how Dr. Rey Sand from the University of Coruscant got into it with someone at the panel on the Sheevian era Jedi hunts. You were awesome?” Rose grinned, “Why didn’t you tell me that your panel was so well-attended and lively? You just let me go on and on about my stuff. What happened?"

“There was just a guy at my talk who suggested that the Jedi hunts were over studied. Or he wanted me to respond to the idea that they were over studied. He turned out to be Dr. Skywalker’s nephew.” Rey climbed out of her bed and stretched, letting out a huge yawn.“How long was I asleep? I feel like I slept for hours.”

“You were out for like, maybe a half an hour? The HoloNet, well, the academic side of things is talking all about your panel. Apparently people really liked seeing a younger scholar stand up for herself and her area of expertise,” Rose wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Rey. “You’ve got fans and it set off quite the discussion about how people need to move away from the - commenting but not asking a question thing.” 

Rey shrugged, trying to pretend that she wasn’t bothered by how people were discussing her panel and response on the HoloNet. She knew that people did live updates of panels, and some even opted to stream videos for people who were unable to attend.It was still disconcerting, to think that she’d somehow done something remarkable. What was going on in academia outside of her own protective circles? Were people always going off on each other? Everyone had always been so generous within the Jedi Studies community.

“Rey, I can see you overthinking it. It’s not a bad thing that people liked your presentation and defense of your work. Don’t spiral out or hide your feelings from me.” Rose bumped her shoulder against Rey’s, as if she could knock the negative feelings out of her friend’s mind.

“I’m not overthinking it. I’m not even thinking about it. It wasn’t that big of a deal, and I’m fine. Just a bit weird, I guess nothing else notable has happened yet.” She rummaged around next to the bed and pulled on her suit jacket, only slightly wrinkled from where it had fallen on the floor during her nap.

“I know you Rey. You’re always overthinking everything. That’s what I love about you. You’ve got a busy brain, always coming up with ideas. Just, let’s get going okay? We’ll get you a glass of wine and let today go.” Rose shouldered her bag, looked at Rey’s jacket and sighed. “Do you want to change?”

Rey rolled her eyes and opened the door, “No comments from you Dr. Tico. We’re not at the Q&A portion of my life yet.”   
  


Laughing, they headed off to the reception where there would be glasses of wine and snacks to round of the end of their first day at the conference. 

* * *

Ben had the strangest feeling that someone was with him while he was showering and shaving. It had started the second that he’d stood under the warm spray of the hotel’s shower head and wouldn’t entirely go away. It wasn’t an unsettling feeling, the way he’d felt like he was watched earlier in the exhibition room. This felt comforting, like the few times that his ex-girlfriend Bazine had lingered in the bedroom watching him get ready in the mornings the few times she’d deigned to stay the night. 

The feeling followed him from his hotel room and down to the ballroom where the smaller receptions were being held by various organizations and publications. Ben wanted to be bothered by the feeling, but he just felt comforted. It was so weird. 

A couple of drinks, and some hor d'oeuvres would set him straight. Nothing strange happening at all. Nothing to see here. He entered the small ballroom and the comforting feeling of being connected to someone intensified. 

Poe Dameron planted himself in front of Ben and grinned at his colleague. “So, I hear you got into it with Dr. Sands during her panel today. Not a good look Solo. I know her, do you want me to introduce you? Maybe you can smooth things over or something. Holdo and Tano are mentoring her, I think it would be good for you not alienate someone for once.” 

It was difficult to dislike Dameron, for all the times that Ben tried to shut the man out. They’d met first as small children and then again in undergraduate, after their parents had discovered that their sons were studying history at the same university. The Solos and Damerons were college friends and it was their dearest wish for their sons to be the same… Ben felt that it was easier to just give in, rather than be badgered about being so solitary every time he went home. 

“Yeah, that sounds good Poe. Where did you hear about the panel? It wasn’t streaming anywhere.” Ben frowned at his outgoing friend who first steered him to the bar to trade in his drink ticket for a glass of whiskey.

Poe spent the entire time dodging Ben’s questions about how he knew exactly what went down earlier in the day. He instead talked about his parents who were watching his extremely affectionate corgi, BB-8.

“So, anyway, there’s BB-8, digging through the laundry and chewing up my parents underwear because Dad couldn’t be bothered to listen to me when I told him that he’d chew up anything with a smell.” Poe was gesticulating enthusiastically, clearly amused by the flurry of messages and photos that his distressed parents had sent overnight.

“Poe, I get it. Your dog is into sniffing underwear. I’m not gonna shame him. I just… I need to know how you knew about the panel. You weren’t there. Are people talking about it? It wasn’t a big deal.” Ben’s stomach lurched uncomfortably, the idea of people talking about him behind his back - in any capacity made him feel ill. It was one of the things that triggered his social anxiety and something that his put-upon therapist, Revan, had talked him through many times over the years.

Miraculously, Poe stopped talking about BB-8’s compulsion to eat dirty underwear and gave Ben a long, calculating stare. “I don’t want you to freak out. Someone did a live update of it, and it was discussed a bit. No big deal. Most of it was about Rey Sands. So, don’t be upset. No one said anything particularly bad about you.”

No one said anything particularly bad about you. Those words were lethal weapons, and Poe knew it. He’d wielded them as best he could. Ben could feel the color drain from his face and a familiar sense of fury start to slide over him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and Ben went through the exercises that he’d learned in therapy. Opening his eyes, Ben let out a long sigh, “Sounds about right.” He took a long swig of his whiskey and gave Poe a wan smile. “Probably nothing that no one hasn’t said about me before.”

Poe slapped Ben on the back, a gesture that was probably supposed to be some form of comfort that was acceptable for men to exchange. “That’s the spirit. I’ll introduce you to Rey, and they’ll be no hard feelings… You’ll be friends and probably co-author a paper together some day.”

Ben laughed softly, “You’re ridiculous.” He followed Poe across the room, waiting patiently for his friend to say hello to practically everyone that they encountered. It had to be exhausting to be an extrovert like Poe. Then again, his friend seemed to thrive on the spotlight and meeting new people. Poe worked the room like he was a celebrity, and in this small circle of people, he sort of was.

Rose had found a cluster of friends from graduate school and they were standing around a tall cocktail table catching up on their lives since the last conference when they’d seen each other. Rey has taken up a spot in the corner, happy to watch everyone chat with each other while she drank her passable glass of cabernet. 

She hadn’t gone to school with Rose, they’d met after getting hired to the history department at the University of Courscant. In the last three years, Rose had become Rey’s lifeline at conferences, happy to meet new people and plan all the evening activities that Rey forgot about in the excitement of all the new ideas she had throughout the day. Without Rose, Rey would spend her evenings sketching out new classes or possible research plans.

Poe Dameron, a friend of Rose's from graduate school was making his way through the reception with Dr. Ben Solo in tow. It wasn’t hard for Rey to spot them as she’d taken up a post in the corner. Rose was happily chatting, oblivious to catastrophe that was about to happen.


	2. Liability - Lorde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey knew that she needed to unclench her jaw, or she would have a terrible headache in the morning. It was a habit that she developed when studying for comps in graduate school. When she started to clench her jaw, it was a signal that she needed to distance herself from whatever was triggering her stress reaction and calm down. Today, it seemed that the stressor was named Dr. Ben Solo, of the University of Alderaan. She had liked him so much better when he was the good-looking stranger brooding in the exhibition hall. Sometimes it didn’t pay to get to know people. 

Rey knew that she needed to unclench her jaw, or she would have a terrible headache in the morning. It was a habit that she developed when studying for comps in graduate school. When she started to clench her jaw, it was a signal that she needed to distance herself from whatever was triggering her stress reaction and calm down. Today, it seemed that the stressor was named Dr. Ben Solo, of the University of Alderaan. She had liked him so much better when he was the good-looking stranger brooding in the exhibition hall. Sometimes it didn’t pay to get to know people. 

It had started innocently enough, with Poe making his way over to Rey, greeting her with a broad smile and a friendly hug. The last time that they’d seen each other was over the summer at a summer house they’d rented to celebrate finishing their first year as professors. Seeing Poe was always fun, and Rey couldn’t figure out why he would be with the rude and prickly Ben Solo. They were so remarkably different that Rey was reminded of an old Jedi parable about how a koi and a bird tried and failed to become friends. 

The bird ultimately ate the fish. 

Introductions were made, and the group fell back into their easy camaraderie from graduate school, with Ben Solo hovering on the outside of their conversation, so like the bird watching the brightly colored koi swimming in the cold darkness of their pond. Rey was waiting for Ben to try and eat one of them, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he just stood there, listening quietly and nodding along with whatever Rose and Kay were discussing.

“I heard that Ben made quite the impression on you at your panel earlier today.” Poe kept his tone casual, but it was clear that he wanted to address Ben’s public rudeness. Perhaps Poe was going to apologize for his friend’s behavior. He nudged Rey in the ribs, getting her to look up from the dregs of red wine in her glass. “Are you okay? If you’re not used to him, Ben can seem like an asshole.” 

“Well, that’s a big side effect of him being an asshole. Poe, don’t apologize for your friend. If he wants to do it, that’s his choice. Don’t enable him.” There was an edge to Rey’s voice that wasn’t usually there. It was the voice she’d used in her younger days when negotiating with Plutt over her earnings for the day’s haul. Suddenly, she felt insecure, aggressive, and angry, like someone had tried to steal food out of her locked cupboard in the dorms. Her body was tensing up, and there was a telltale twitch developing in her lower jaw on the right side. 

“Wow, okay. Sorry. I heard it was bad, and I think if you’d met under different circumstances, you would like each other.” Hands held up in surrender, Poe gave Rey his most charming smile, the one that got him out of late fines, and got ILL requests put through at lightning speed. He was a good friend, and it was hard to fault Ben Solo for succumbing to Poe’s particular brand of “befriending by attrition.” 

“I doubt that Poe. You get along with literally everyone. Except for -“

“Amilyn Holdo.” Poe cut in with a laugh and a toss of his dark, curly hair. “I think that I’ll win her over in the end. I’ve got decades. She was on my hiring committee, so her objections can’t be that strong.” 

Shaking her head, Rey set down her glass and couldn’t help but notice that Ben Solo had been trying to catch her eye. His expression hadn’t changed much; he still looked grave and thoughtful while towering over Rose and Kay. It was strange, but she just knew that his glance over Kay’s head was meant to catch her attention. Maybe all the socializing that Rose was making her do back in Courescant was finally starting to pay off. 

“I think Ben wants to talk to me. Or us. I don’t know.” Rey looked at Poe questioningly. “I guess we should see what he wants? Or at least try to include him? I don’t think he’s said a word for the last ten minutes.” Poe gave Ben a nod and gestured for him to come over. As Ben made his way towards them, Poe gave her a crooked smile.

“It is interesting that you noticed that he was looking left out. The Rey I knew five years ago, would have never noticed that.” 

“The Rey you knew three years ago would be trying to fill her tote bag with all the leftover food.” Rey hoped that the smile she flashed Poe reached her eyes. It was hard to talk about her life before graduate school, even with Rose. For once, Poe seemed to pick up on how much she _ didn’t _ want to talk about that. He let that thread of their conversation go. He was a lovely friend, but subtlely was often lost on him, even without alcohol flowing freely. 

“Hello.” Ben’s voice was a wintery rasp as if he wasn’t used to speaking much. Perhaps Hoth’s blistering cold had gotten to him. He seemed so different from the person she’d first spotted in the exhibition hall and the confident senior scholar in her panel. Perhaps social functions made him uncomfortable? It was something that Rey would probably mull over later in the safety of her hotel room. 

“Hi. We were just talking about how Amilyn Holdo hates Poe.” Rey blurted out like a shy student who’d been forced to speak up for the sake of their participation grade. What was _ wrong with her _? Poe was the friend who would charmingly embarrass you at parties, not Rey. 

Ben seemed startled by Rey as if he wasn’t expecting her to speak up. “Oh yeah? We talked about that quite a bit at the time. It was the first time that someone hadn’t succumbed to Poe’s charm offensive.” 

They both laughed, and Poe smiled sourly. “I should have thought this through a bit more because now you’re going to gang up against me.” 

“Well, it is time that someone bullied you. Your life needs to have some conflict.” Ben kept a firm grip on his full highball glass. Rey eyed it, trying to decide what the amber-colored liquid in his glass could be. Scotch? Bourbon? 

“I get exposed to enough conflict studying history and being your friend. Rey, did you know that we’ve been friends since we were little kids? Our parents were friends, and they decided that we would be friends.” The fondness in Poe’s voice was unexpected; it seemed that Poe indeed did like Ben. It wasn’t a friendship that was born out of necessity, because they were serving on the same faculty committees or were the youngest members of their department. Rey tried to picture a younger Poe and Ben playing - drawing on sidewalks, pulling each other in a wagon, or making up games in the cool shade of the woods behind their houses. It was difficult to picture. 

Instead of responding or using that as an opening to start talking, Ben shrugged and took a drink. Whatever was in the glass made him grimace and sigh. “I’ll be honest, their insistence on us being friends was probably the only time that my parents knew what was best for me.” Poe seemed to start before a genuine smile, filled with brotherly fondness spread across his face. “I think that’s the first time that you’ve ever admitted that we’re friends. I should bring Rey around more. Maybe you’ll finally admit that I’m you’re best friend.”

Ben shrugged again, and Rey found herself marveling at how broad his shoulders were. She was tall and well-muscled, but Ben Solo made her feel tiny and slight. It was such a peculiar feeling that Rey didn’t know if she liked it. The heroines in the period romance novels that Rose read always seemed to revel in that feeling. Perhaps Rey wasn’t heroine material.

“Well, it won’t be a problem. I’m out on the west coast at Courscant, but I bet there’s someone who would want to referee your rows.” Again, she found herself hoping that her smile was reaching her eyes, but not to try and appease or distract Poe. Rey cut off that train of thought and turned to Ben, trying to find something to say. Her mind seemed to empty of all thought, and it was so awkward to be looking him right in the eye like she was going to say something substantial. 

“I liked your panel earlier today. I’m sorry if you took my question to be rude. That wasn’t my intention.” Ben took over the conversation and seemed to forget that his old friend Poe was standing right next to them. It felt like a private admission, something that should be saved for a post-conference email. 

Rey’s mind turned like an engine that wouldn’t start. Everything was moving, but the engine wouldn’t catch. “Are you apologizing for how I perceived your question or apologizing?” Her tone was acidic, the embarrassment of not knowing what to say, coupled with the memory of her earlier discomfort at knowing how other scholars were commenting on their tête-à-tête. 

“I was apologizing, but in my defense, it was the question that everyone in was wanting to ask. It’s hard to justify studying Medieval history when everyone is so focused on modern history and trying to figure out how to stay relevant with all the funding going to STEM projects.” Ben looked down at Rey, clearly mystified by her response. He licked his lips, opened his mouth to say something else, but closed it as if he’d just reconsidered what he was about to say. 

“The past is a laboratory for ideas, and the Humanities don’t need your kind of assistance. More of a liability than an asset.” She huffed angrily, the discomfort and anger coming back to her in flood. Shifting her weight, Rey felt the throbbing tic in her jaw grow more painful and persistent. A sign that she needed to cool off. Get away from everyone and take a shower. Look over her schedule for tomorrow. “I have a talk that I want to attend at 8 o’clock tomorrow. I should get to bed.” She nodded at Ben and Poe, giving them a tight smile before slipping through the crowd. Rose was still engrossed in her conversation with Kay; a quick text would keep her from worrying about Rey. 

Rey tried to move around a caterer busing a nearby table, and she caught part of whatever Poe was saying to Ben. 

“Wow. Good job. I’ve never seen Rey get angry and she's been in the car with me when I drove.”

There was a harsh bark of laughter. “I suppose that’s what you get for trying to take me anywhere.” 

Rey was fascinated by Ben Solo. He was a beautiful and awkward person. Not merely awkward, but someone who didn’t understand other people’s feelings. A combination that she found strangely compelling. She would walk away very quickly and thank the Force that Poe and Ben lived on the east coast, far away from her. 

It was a catastrophe.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's taken me a month to update this. I wasn't expecting well, any of this to happen. I'm on Twitter @pythiatweets, if you'd like to chat. Thanks for reading.


	3. Everywhere - Michelle Branch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For two days, Rey Sands seems to be in every line, around corners, and always managed to disappear without a word. It is impressive and slightly insulting. He is not the most inconspicuous individual, so Ben knows that the woman had to have spotted him at least once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _You’re in everyone I see, so tell me, do you see me?_  

> 
> Unbeta’d but “checked” with Grammarly, so please let me know (nicely) if I missed anything.

It’s not a small conference, but Ben can’t help his surprise at how often he came across Dr. Rey Sands. They are in the same sub-field, so it makes sense to see each other at panels, poster sessions, or at evening mixers.Still, he continued to be surprised with each encounter.

For two days, Rey Sands seemed to be in every line, around corners, and always managed to disappear without a word. It is impressive and slightly insulting. Admittedly, Ben is not the most inconspicuous individual, so he knew that the woman had to have spotted him at least once. Perhaps her friend Dr. Tico had been playing lookout and running interference on Rey’s behalf. It would be something that Poe would do for Ben if Poe were slightly aware of how awkward Ben felt about Dr. Rey Sands. At one point, Ben followed the woman out into a corridor, hoping to apologize, only to find that she’d completely disappeared. Had she spotted him and run away?

Well, if Rey Sands was running away, Ben really can’t blame her.

It was all so awkward, and he had been an ass. Ben had tapped out a message to his therapist Georgia explaining his predicament in gory detail. She responded with a list of times Ben could book for an appointment. 

Tonight was the last night, and come tomorrow, Rey Sands would be far away from him. He just had to get through the keynote address from the President of the Alderaanian History Association and accept an award from Dr. Ashoka Tano on behalf of Luke’s accomplishments as a historian. Whoever was in charge of the programming was unaware that he and his uncle were estranged at the time of his death. An estrangement that would stretch into the hereafter. Ben didn’t believe in the afterlife, and it wasn’t like his uncle’s ghost would appear to him to make amends after nearly a decade of silence.

He eased himself into an aisle seat at the end of the second row and was startled to see the elusive Rey Sands seated next to him.

“Dr. Sands, it is nice to see you. Thank you for coming to this. Luke would have liked knowing you were here.” Ben tried to keep from flushing, painfully aware of how stiff and awkward he sounded. It was like having a conversation with the poorly programmed AI in his apartment that was supposed to change the music or keep track of the shopping list.

Rey looked up, clearly startled to see Ben sitting next to her. When he had chosen his seat, the chair to him was empty. Somehow, Rey had slipped into the seat next to him without either of them realizing who they were seated next to.

“Oh. Hello, Dr. Solo.” Rey’s smile was small and slightly strained, the sort of smile that indicated just how uncomfortable she felt around him. It was an expression that he was intimately familiar with. She shrugged and tried not to grimace. “I wasn’t very close to your uncle. He was my thesis advisor, but he didn’t want to be my advisor. My previous advisor was out on medical leave when I was finishing my dissertation, so Luke took over for her to help me graduate on time. He wasn’t super interested in working with students. I think he was ready to retire.” Chewing on her lip, Rey looked over at Ben. “Sorry, I’m not trying to badmouth him. He did help me in the end. In his way.”

It was hard for him not to let out a dark chuckle. “It’s fine. My uncle and I haven’t spoken in over a decade. We didn’t get along at all. I am the last person that should be accepting an award on his behalf. I’ll mail it to my mother, and she’ll know what to do with it.” Ben tried to keep his voice regular and level. It was just Luke. He wasn’t there to gainsay anything Ben had to say.

“Rey!” Rey looked around the crowded room and spotted Rose pushing her way through to sit in the empty seat on the other side of Rey. She waved at Rose and looked over to see that Ben Solo had practically teleported across the room to sit by himself at the end of the second row, rather than at the end of the third row with her and Rose. He was a strange and awkward man.

Poe had arrived at the keynote, nearly a minute before it was to start. He gestured to the seat next to Ben. “Can I sit in that empty seat?” Ben frowned and turned to look to see where Rey went. She had just been seated next to him. He looked over and saw the seat was empty, spotting her on the opposite side of the room in the third row with Rose Tico. She’d left without saying goodbye.

“Yeah. No one was sitting here.” Ben turned to the side and let Poe slip into the row, his friend accidentally kicking him in the shins.

Dr. Tano stepped up to the podium and called for quiet. Ben couldn’t help but wonder why Rey had left without saying goodbye. He supposed that he’d managed to be rude or offensive. Because that’s what he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on Twitter - @pythiatweets Just send me a DM to be added to my locked account. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter PythiaTweets


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